Beautiful and Budget Friendly Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires, the capital city of Argentina is a gorgeous city, but it is also perfect for folks on a budget. An unfortunate economic climate has put in the country in what seems like an endless cycle of recessions. This is bad for Argentina, but great for tourists. When I visited Buenos Aires, 1 U.S. dollar was equivalent to 3.40 Argentine Pesos, now 1USD=3.70ARS.
If your budget is preventing you from hopping the pond to Europe, I would suggest coming to Buenos Aires. It has a very European feel to it, but without the high price tag. The lifestyle and architecture are markedly more European than any other city in South America. Most Porteños, or residents of Buenos Aires, are of European descent. Argentina actually has the largest number of Italian descendents outside of Italy. To this point, it seems that there is a Pizzeria and or gelato shop on every corner. Also, Argentine men seem to have inherited the art of flirting and flattery from their Italian forefathers. Don’t believe the hype about the general preference for blondes. Argentine men LOVE the ladies. Trust me!

As part of your trip to Buenos Aires, I would recommend spending a day or afternoon in the historical neighborhood of Recoleta. This is a beautiful neighborhood filled with breathtaking parks and dotted with Parisian-style architecture. Most sights in the neighborhood are free or very low cost. This also happens to be the domain of the ladies who lunch. Most restaurants we came across in this trendy and upscale neighborhood offer great lunch and dinner specials. We had a lovely prix-fixed lunch at a great cafe including an appetizer, entree, dessert, and glass of wine for 70 pesos or roughly $20. Argentina’s claim to culinary fame is their mouthwatering steak, and at these prices you would be foolish not to try it.

Walking down the fashionable streets of the Palermo neighborhood, I saw more boutiques in one place than I have ever seen before in my life…and they all had sale signs in the windows! Buenos Aires is really putting out great designers and you can get fantastic deals at their shops. I highly recommend visiting the Carla Danelli boutique. She is a designer focused on shoes, handbags, and other leather accessories. Her designs are unique, modern, and only use the softest leather. I was able to purchase a beautiful fuchsia colored leather handbag for 50% off the original price. It was a great deal!

www.carladanelli.com
Buenos Aires is relatively spread out, but it easy to get around on the subway or subte. Taxis are everywhere and cheap. Most taxi rides cost us between $3 to $5.
If you are looking to travel internationally, but do not think you can afford it in this economy, Buenos Aires is one of the places I would highly recommend to visit. Not only is it a beautiful and friendly city, but you can experience all it has to offer on a small budget.

The Grill From Ipanema: A piece of Brazil in the heart of DC

Brazil is one of my favorite places on earth.  I love the people, the music, the culture and the food.  During the week of Carnaval, I was especially missing Brazil and wishing I could be in the thick of the parties and parades.  Instead I was stuck in my hometown of Washington DC, so a friend and I decided to take the 10 minute walk to one of my favorite spots in DC to get the feeling of being in Brazil.  We went to the Grill from Ipanema.  Located in the ethnic melting pot that is Adams Morgan, the Grill from Ipanema is a restaurant, bar, and occasional dance club that makes you feel you are in a café on Copacabana beach or Salvador de Bahia.  Featuring food, drinks, music, and staff from all over Brazil, it is a great introduction to Brazilian culture and cuisine.   

On this particular evening my friend and I started out with a cocktail to get us in a festive mood.  We opted for the marucujinha, a very refreshing and delicious cocktail made with passion fruit juice and cachaca, the sugar cane liquor Brazil is famous for.   It was so good that we had to have two more.  It was carnaval after all!   

For an appetizer we split the casquinha de siri which is sautéed crab with olive oil, garlic, tomato, cilantro, onion, and green pepper, and topped with roasted yucca flour.  It was quite tasty, but the dish was a little on the small side so I wouldn’t recommend sharing.  I was craving a moqueca, one of my favorite dishes from time spent in Bahia.  Moqueca is a seafood stew prepared in a blend of palm oil and coconut milk with fresh cilantro, tomato, onion, scallions and green pepper.  Grill from Ipanema serves two variations of moqueca with the choice of eight different kinds of seafood.  We chose to split the Moqueca a Baiana with shrimp.  It came bubbling in a clay pot with yucca puree served on the side.  This version had more of a tomato based stew than the versions I’ve eaten in Brazil, which are heavier on the coconut milk.  Still, the moqueca was absolutely delicious and generous enough to split.   Drinks and Appetizers typically cost $7 to $10 a pop.  Entrees hover around the $20 to $25 range 

The Grill from Ipanema also has one of the best happy hour deals in town.  From M-F 4:30-7:00pm you can get amazing caipirinhas for $3.99 and good deals on appetizers on appetizers as well.    

I have always received great service at the restaurant, which is saying a lot for DC.  This isn’t a city known for good customer service.  I don’t ever feel rushed at the Grill from Ipanema.  I’ve had four hour meals here without any problem.  Also, be sure to come during the warmer months when you can dine alfresco.  It is fantastic people watching.   

Grill from Ipanema is a little taste of Brazil with super friendly people, a great vibe, and tasty drinks and food.  If you love Brazil as much as I do, this is the place for you!   

Busboys and Poets

Imagine a place where you can grab a sandwich, attend an open mic, have a cocktail, pick up the latest books by America’s leading black intellectuals, attend a lecture by a nobel laureate, and plug-in to free wi-fi.  Well, you will find all this and more at Busboys and Poets in DC’s vibrant U street/Shaw neighborhood.  Named after a reference to famed Black poet, Langston Hughes, Busboys and Poets is not just a restaurant, it’s a community center.  Busboys and Poets makes no secret about promoting progressive values, but you will find everybody and their mama here.  Looking around during a packed Sunday brunch you will see Howard University students, young white hipsters, and older Black ladies with their pastel hats and church suits.   

I almost always inevitably show up here for at least one meal when I have out of town guests.  They serve breakfast, lunch, dinner and late-night food at reasonable prices.  It’s a fantastic spot for brunch and is packed on weekend mornings.  The menu is eclectic and global.  The food is consistently good and everybody will find something they enjoy.  The baristas are top-notch, and the coffee is always perfect.    

Busboys and Poets hosts daily events.  On any given day you can attend a film screening, lecture, open mic, concert, or networking event.  They also were quite popular during election season, and lines formed down the block to get in for debate and inaugural parties.   

Busboys and Poets business is so booming that they opened two more locations in the DC area, but I am loyal to the original on 14^th street.  If I ever leave DC, Busboy and Poets will be one of the places I will really miss.  There is a vibe and energy here that is so unique. Few places these days are as community focused and there is always something going on here, interesting people to meet, great art to look at, and good times to be had.   

2021 14th St NW 
(between N U St & N V St) 
Washington, DC 20009

202) 387-7638

www.busboysandpoets.com